Percussion fuse for aircraft bombs and other purposes



March 31, 1925. 1,531,717

I L. E. REMONDY PERCUSSION FUSE FOR AIRCRAFT BOMBS AND OTHER PURPOSES Filed May 12. 1924 5 Sheecs-Sheet 1 March 31, 1925.

L.E.REMONDY PERCUSSION FUSE FOR AIRCRAFT BOMBS AND OTHER PURPOSES Filed May 12. 1924 3 Sheets Sheet 2 FF. 2%h Z H. 1/ 1 1 F Ev a REE/ H; v 7 a March 31. 1925. 1,531,717

L. E. REMONDY PERCUSSION FUSE FOR AIRCRAFT BOMBS AND OTHER PURPOSES Filed May 12. 1924 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Man 31, 1925.

iititta LEON EMILE 'REMONDY, or attain wen-anon rEn-cossIoN ruse FOR AIacnArr Borers AND OTHER; runrosns.

Application filed ma 12, 1924. Serial No. 712,818.

To all 10222 it may concern;

Be it known that I, LnoN EMILE Rn- BIONDY, citizen of the Republic of France, resident of Rueil, France, have invented new and useful Improvements in Percussion Fuses for Aircraft Bombs and Other Purposes, which is fully set forth in the following specification.

This invent-ion has for its object to provide an improved percussion fuse constructed in such a manner as to operate with'direct transmission of the flame to the detonator when the projectile strikes a highly resistant obstacle,"whereas itwill operate as a delay fuse when the obstacle that is struck has a small resistance or vice versa, will transmit the flame to the detonator directly on striking a. target of small resistance and operate as a delay fuse if the target struck is one of high resistance. \Vhen applied to aircraft bombs, and more particularly when such bombs are intended to be dropped upon ships on the sea, the improved fuse allows of assuring for instance an instantaneous burst in the case of the bomb striking the deck of a vessel or any other rigidpart, whereas when the bomb has fallen into the water the burst will take place only after a suitable delay. The inverse operation may also'be provided for.

According to this invention an extremely scnsitivenose fuse preferably a fuse operating by ramming-in and inertia such as the fuses forming the subject matter of United States'Patent No. 1,459,075, com bined with a delay-device located in the front portion of a fuse-carrier, which latter can be displaced longitudinally in the head of the projectile. but only as the result of a violent shock. Owing to this displacement the transmission (which may for instance be direct) of the flame to the charge is as-1 sured by the fact that by reason vof thesaid displacement flash holes, normally closed,

are uncovered through which the flame has then direct access to the fuse composition of a relay or to the detonator itself, whereas it is compelled to pass'by way of a delaycomposition when it meets an obstacle that is insufficiently resistant to produce the aforesaid displacement. Another means of utilizing this displacement of the fuse-carrier for the purpose of assuring direct operation, consists in arranging in the movable fuse-carrier, and in front of the delay de vice, relatively to the projectile chargeja firing mechanism which operates directly in the case of'a violent shock, .but which, in the case of striking a light obstacle, will be operated only by the action of the pressureof the gases of a'relay that is ignited after the combustion of the delay-composition, which latter has been ignited by. the operationof the extra1sensitive nose fuse. As hereinafter described, the displacement" of the fuse-carrier by the shockcaused by striking a resistant obstaclemay be-utilized to cover the direct passage for the flame, whilst the said direct passage remains normally open only in-the case of striking an obstacle that does not offer sufiicient re sistance.

Various constructional forms of this in-. vention are illustrated by way of example in the accompanying (:lraw'vings. in which Figure 1 isa longitudinal axial section of an improved fuse shown fitted to, a projectile, such as an aircraft bomb.

Figure 2 is a partial longitudinal section of a modification.

Figure 3 is a longitudinal axial section of a second constructional form of the improved fuse shown fitted to a projectile.

Figure 4: is a. longitudinal section illus-' trating a different tion, and

Figure 5 is a cross section taken along the line 5 5 of Figure 4- y In these figures-:-A is the'front end of the projectile in which there is provided a suitable recess for the improved fuse. This application of this invenlattercomprises an extra-sensitive fuse'B.

preferably of the type of the fuses operated by ramming-in and inertia, as described and illustrated in the aforesaid United States Patent No; 1,459,075. This fuse B is 10- catedin a fuse-carrie1CC C the essen tial characteristicfeature of which consists in this that solely by the action of a violent shock it can receive a longitudinal displacement towards the interior of the projectile. For this purpose; the fuse-carrier bears against a stop of-a kind that can only be sheared by the action of a violent shock experienced by the nose'of the projectile striking an obstacleof sufficient resistance. In the illustrated example this stop is constitilted by a collar D projecting from'a de lay-device D, The fuse carrier bears upon the collarD through the intermediary of a washer 0 of plastiomaterial. 1 The delay device may be of the type described and shown in the application for patent lodged by the applicant on 5 February 1924: (690,- 913). In that case as shown in the drawings it will be constituted by a socket or container engaging with its )art of reduced diameter in the ,rear part 6 of the fusecarrier. It contains in the reduced portion a delay-composition (Z While apertures (Z are provided close to the front end. Beneath,

that is, at the rear vof thestop washer D orifices (Z are provided in the portion of the delay-device that contains the fuse composition (Z constituting a relay.

For the sake of facility of assemblage the ,movable fuse-carrier may, as shown in Figure 1, be composed of three elementsC, C C The element C maybe screwed on the element C and the combination CC will bear simply upon the front end'of the element C By means of a screw-threaded ring E screwing in the projectile and bearing upon a shoulder a of the elementC, the retentionofthe movable fuse-carrier andalso its bearing upon the .stop D are assured through the medium ofthe plastic joint 0, and by means of the latter the retention of to the said envelope'F, a percussion cap F and a separating spring F. o

If the projectile Astrikes a very resis tant body, the fuse-carrier CC C is rammed-in and shears the stop collar D whilst the firing mechanism operates, and the free percussion cap F compresses the spring F and strikesthe striker F which is rendered stationary by the obstacle. Since the displacement of the fuse-carrier due to the shearing of the stop D has uncovered the orificesd Which communicate with the interior of the fuse-carrier, the flame of the percussion cap F is transmitted freely to the relay (Z and, through the latter to the detonator, and finallyto the bursting charge of the projectile. As will be preceived'in the case of the impact of the projectile against a very resistant obstacle the direct action of the fuse, that is, the direct transmission of the flame of the fuse to thede-,

tonator is completely assured.

If on the contrary the obstacle that is struck offers only an insufiicient resistance, for instance if in-the case of a bomb dropped from an aircraft upon a ship the bomb should happ n to fall into the water near the target, 1311 fuse will operatewith delay.

In this case, in. fact, the fuse-carrier C C C not having received a shock of sufficient violence to enable it to shear the stop D will remain stationary'in the projectile and the fuse F will come into operation. As a matter of fact a very light obstacle, such as impact upon wateiyis suiiicient to cause the stoppage or at least a very great retardation of the movable envelope 1*, whereas the projectile A will continue on its course. In other words, the fuse operates by the rainmingdn of the envelope F into the fixed fuse-carrier. The free percussion cap F continuing its movement. with the, velocity of the projectile, and after compression of spring F will strike the striker which has The flame of the percussion cap is able to reach the been arrested in its movement.

relay 6Z only after the combustion of the delay. composition (Z which isignited by the passage of the flame through the orifices (P.

The extra-sensitive fuse operating by ramming-in and inertia may, as shown in the modification illustrated in Figure 2, coinprise a movable envelopeF Whichis caused to project slightly beyond from the movable fuse-carrier C by a spring F bearing at one end against the-underside of the movable envelope, and at its other end against an inner ledge .0 of the fuse carrier. In this arrangement the envelope F is PlGICQClWiiil.

slots f" by means of which it can slide along ribs f of a washer F behind which the permission cap F is maintained.

The operation of the in'iproved fuse is indicated in dot-and-dash lines in Fig The envelope F being retarded in its movement on the striking of an obstacle even or" very small resistance, whilst the projectile continues-its course, the spring F iscompressed, and owing to its momentum due to the velocity of the projectile the percussion cap F remains bearing against the ribbed washer F and comes into contact with the strikerF which'is now retarded in relation to it. p

In the example illustrated in Figure 3, the displacementof the fuse-carrier by the effect of the shock of impact against a resistant obstacle is utilized differently for assuring the direct transmission of the flame to the detonator and tothe charge of the projectile.

. lie 2.

In this example the movable fuse-carrier is held by a screwthreadcd ring E bearing in 1t-Stll1'11 against a stop D which, in'this arrangement, 1s constituted by a Washer bearing a ainst a shoulder 0 on the head of r. 1-: p

the projectile. a

In front of the fuse-carrier there is located, as in the preceding example, an extrasensitive fuse which may comprise movable envelope F. In front of the latter. there is fixed the striker F which is keptaway from the percussion cap F by a spring F bearing at its rear end against a ribbed washer F", kept stationary by its ribs 7 beaction sliding fuse-carrier distributor it is tweena shoulder a of. the fuse-carrier and a sleeve C The envelope F is pierced with slots 7' by means of which, in its operation it. slides along the ribs 7.- lhe sleeve-C bears at its rear 'endthrough theinedium of a plastic joint upon a part of larger diameter of the delay-device D. The portion of reduced diameter of the latter contains the delaycomposition (Z to which the flame of the percussion cap F can gain access through the orifices (Z The characteristic feature of this constructional form is the provision-of an additional tiring mechanism below the relay d of the delay-device. This mechanism may comprise. as shown in the drawings, a movable container G held in the position indicated in the figure by the action of a spring H. T he container G is secured to the striker (I- which is maintained normally away from a free percussion cap G by a spring G By the shock of the projectile striking a resistant obstacle the fuse-carrier C rammed-in so as to shear the washer D whereas the percussion cap G continuing its forward movement with the velocity of the projectile, compresses the spring G and strikes the striker'G l he flame of percussion cap J isthus transmitted directly to the detonator and by the latter to the'charge of the projectile.

if the projectile should happen to fall into water or strike an obstacle not olfering suliicient resistance to ensure the shearing of the washer D the extra-sensitive fuse F will operate alone at first. The envelope F will move into the interior of the sleeve C so that the striker-F will strike the percussion cap which has been kept pressed against the washer l by inertia. The flame of the percussion cap F is transmitted to the delay-composition (Z, and by the latter to the relay. (Z3. By the action ofthe generated by the combustion of the relay the container G- is forced towards the rear so as to compress the spring H, whereas the percussion cap retains by inertia the velocity of the projectile and, compressing the spring G strikes the striker G As will be seen the flame is transmitted with delay to the charge of the projectile through the medium of the extra-sensitive nose fuse 1 which ignites the delay-composition (Z,

and which latter, by the pressure of the gases, brings the additional firing mechanism into operation.

possible to solve the inverse problem, in other words, to ensure that the fuse will work with delay when the projectile strikes a resistant obstacle, but'will operate without delay if the projectile strikes an obstacle offeringonly a small resistance.

Figures -l and 5 illustrate a moc lilication of a fuse of this invention designed for operating in the manner herein last described.

In this example, thealternative-action sliding fuse carrier distributor (l -"C bears, as in the example illustrated in Figure 1, against a stop I) constituted by a collar of the delay-device D. But in the present example this stop is formed below the orifices (I that give access to the relay (Z-. These said orifices are normally in communication with the interior of the fusecarrier throughpassages 0 provided in an annular ledge C formed on the inside of' the element C of the fuse-carrier. This element C is movable with slight friction along'the wall of the delay-composition container D.

If the projectile should happen to strike an obstacle which is not sutiiciently resistant to effect by shock the shearing of the stop D the fuse-carrier will remain stationary inside theprojectile, and the flame due to the operation of the extra-sensitive fuse F will be transmitted directly to the relay (Z through the passages c and theoritices (P.

if, on the contrary the obstacle which is struck hassuiiicient resistance to ensure the displacement of the fuse carrier C-C in the inward direction as the result of the shearing of the stop collar D the ledge C will come with its solid longitudinal wall opposite the orilice (Z and thus close them. From this moment onwards the flame of the fuse can reach the relay (5 only through the relay composition (Z.

In the above described example it is assumed that the fuse envelope F is maintained in the position shown in the figure by bearing against a split ring inserted in a circular groove of the fuse-carrier after the envelope Ffhas been placed into position; this arrangement allows of providing a sliding fuse-carrier composed of two elements only CC The characteristic feature of the described fuse, which as already stated, consists essentially in the c'on bination of an extra-sensitive nose fuse With a sliding fuse-carrier which can be displaced only by'the effect of a shock of sufiicient violence, may of course be carried into practice in other Ways. The essential feature is the property of the improved fuse of changing over automatically from direct action to a more or less delayed action, and vice versa. by the effect of the displacement of a sliding fuse-carrier, the sliding movement of which produces a changing in the automatic operation of the fuse, irrespectively of the means (which may be varied at will) provided for effecting this changing-over;

Although in the herein described constructional examples the fuse-carrier constitutes a kind of slide for covering or uncovering orifices, it is obvious that, as a modification, the fuse-carrier may be designed, by its dis placement, to open passagesby perforation or percussion or by the displacement of an auxiliary device such'as a register, throttle, bolt, pin or other device.

On the other hand it will be readily understood that in place of the sole alternative of the direct operation and of operation with delay, it is obviously possible to provide alternatively direct operation or operations with variable delays according to the degree of resistance of the obstacle that is struck. For this purpose it will be sufficient to provide a series of stops to be sheared having varying degrees of resistance, the shearing of Which will cause the opening or closing of orifices suitably arranged in tiers.

Having noW particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that What I claim is 1. In a bomb or projectile, the combination of a sensitive nose fuse, a delay train fired by said nose fuse, a quick burning relay train in igniting relation with said delay train, flash-ports leading to the latter, and means actuatedonly by violent resistance of a target and controlling said flash-ports.

2. In a bomb or projectile, the combination of a fuse carrier movably mounted in said bomb or projectile, a sensitive fuse supported by said carrier, a delay train and a relay train, flash-ports to each train, and means actuated by the movement of the carrier and controlling the flash-ports to the relay train.

3. A fuse for aircraft bombs and other purposes comprising a slidably-mounted fuse carrier, means yielding only on violent impact and normally restraining said car rier against sliding movement, a sensitive fuse supported in said carrier, a slow burning delay composition, and a' relay charge having 'fiaslrports leading thereto, which ports are controlled by said carrier in its sliding movement. I

4:. A fuse for aircraft bombs and other purposes comprising a slidably-mounted fuse carrier, means yielding only on violent impact and normally restrainingsaid carrier against sliding movement, a sensitive fuse supported in said carrier, and a delay device having flash-ports controlled by said carrier in its sliding movement.

5. A fuse comprising a casing, a striker secured thereto, a percussion element mounted'in'the easing rearwardly of said striker, means normally maintaining said element at a distance from said striker, and means car ried by the casing rearwardly of said element and actuated thereby for rendering the effect of the explosion-of said element in.- stantaneous or delayed according to there sistanee of the target encountered. a

6. A fuse for aircraft bombs and other purposes, comprising a slidably mounted fuse carrier means lelCllll onl on violent impact and normally restraining said carrier against sliding movement, a sensitive fuse supported in said carrier, a sleeve or casing extending axially within the rear portion of said carrier with a part of said casing within and a part exterior to the carrier, a delay train in the inner portion there of, a relay train in the outer portion thereof and in igniting'relation with said delay train, flash-portsleading from the interior of said carrier to said delay train, and flashports leading to the relay train normally exterior to said carrier but exposed within the carrier when sliding movement is imparted to the latter on violent impact with the target.

In testimony whereof I have specification.

LEON EMILE REMONDY.

signed this 

